FAQ

EVICTION PROCESS

Due to the fact that the laws and procedures for eviction change frequently, please direct all inquiries regarding the eviction process to the Tuscaloosa County District Court Clerk’s Office – Civil Division. They can be reached at (205)349-3870.

Upon a final order for eviction being issued by the court, a deputy will contact the plaintiff and schedule a time and date for the set-out to occur. All evictions will be performed Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The purpose of a Deputy Sheriff’s presence in the eviction process is to execute the court order and ensure that the set-out is done in a civil and orderly fashion. The Sheriff’s Office does not remove the property from the residence and does not provide the labor for the set-out. The plaintiff in the action is responsible for sending adequate manpower to remove all personal belongings of the defendant from the residence in a timely fashion. All belongings of the defendant in the action are to be removed from the residence and placed on a curb or in the parking lot. The plaintiff can then change the locks and secure the residence finalizing the eviction process.
In the event of an order for the removal of a mobile home from a lot or parcel of property, it is the financial burden of the plaintiff in the action to pay for removal of the mobile home.

The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office takes seriously the conduct of all individuals in its employ and holds all personnel to a high standard of service to the citizens we serve. The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Procedural General Orders are issued to all persons and are a guideline to assist not only in daily activities but also the Code of Conduct which is expected from each individual.

Any complaints submitted to the office will be thoroughly investigated and a written response will be made to the individual lodging the complaint. It is not necessary to know either the name of the officer or the unit number of the patrol car, as this information is readily available through our computer logs. So that we may have all pertinent facts made available for a complete investigation, we ask that all complaints be submitted in writing and not over the phone.

When this office receives a complaint, it is turned over immediately to Internal Affairs to be investigated. After all facts have been presented and their appears to be a violation of the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Procedural General Orders, a Pre-Disciplinary Board is convened to review the alleged misconduct and their decision for any disciplinary action to be taken is then forwarded to the Sheriff. The Sheriff may concur with their decision but reserves the right to evoke further discipline if he deems necessary.

PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ORDERS

A Protection from Abuse (PFA) Order provides a legal option for someone who is being abused or threatened by an intimate partner, or former partner.

A person is guilty of criminal trespass in the first degree if he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling.

Criminal trespass in the first degree is a Class A misdemeanor.

Section 13A-7-3 Criminal trespass in the second degree.

A person is guilty of criminal trespass in the second degree if he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building or upon real property which is fenced or enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders.

Criminal trespass in the second degree is a Class C misdemeanor.

Section 13A-7-4 Criminal trespass in the third degree.

A person is guilty of criminal trespass in the third degree when he knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in or upon premises.

Criminal trespass in the third degree is a violation.

Section 13A-7-4.1 Criminal trespass by motor vehicle.

A person commits the offense of criminal trespass by motor vehicle when the person, after having been requested not to do so by a uniformed law enforcement officer or by a properly identified owner or an authorized agent of the owner, parks or stands an occupied or unoccupied motor vehicle in, or repeatedly drives a motor vehicle through or within, a parking area which is located on privately owned property and is provided by a merchant, a group of merchants, or a shopping center or other similar facility for customers if:

The parking area is identified by at least one sign as specified in this paragraph, and if the parking area contains more than 150 parking spaces, then by at least one such sign for every 150 parking spaces, each such sign shall be substantially as follows:

Notice

Private Property

Entry restricted to our tenants, their customers, employees and invitees. Remaining after proper use is prohibited. Violators may be charged with trespassing.

Owner of Shopping Center

And the motor vehicle is parked, is standing, or is being operated other than for the purpose of:

Transporting some person to or from the interior of the place of business of a merchant identified by the sign or signs in the parking area or to or from the interior of the shopping center or other facility so identified;

Making use of a telephone, vending machine, automatic teller machine, or other similar facility located in the parking area;

Meeting the requirements of a situation in which it has unexpectedly become impossible or impractical for the motor vehicle to continue to travel on the public roads; or

Carrying out an activity for which express permission has been given by the owner of the parking area or an authorized representative of the owner.

A person who commits the offense of criminal trespass by motor vehicle shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine: